An extraordinary fashion show stuns crowds at Japanese photo-convention

2015-02-19A remarkable and unique catwalk fashion show, supported by Hasselblad, at the CP+ camera and photo-imaging convention in Yokohama Japan, has been receiving extensive TV and newspaper coverage worldwide.

The show featured amputee models and was the follow-up to photographer Takao Ochi’s ‘Amputee Venus’ photo-book (shot using an H5D-50c) which pictures the lives of eleven Japanese women with artificial legs who have rebuilt their lives and now excel at everything they do, including karate, motorcycle riding, running and football.

William Penrice, President Hasselblad Japan said: “This has been an exceptional Hasselblad collaboration project with Takao and world-acclaimed prosthetics specialist Fumio Usui. Our collective ambition has been to help change attitudes towards disability in Japan.

Takao’s astonishing images for the photo-book were shot over the last two years in and around the Hasselblad Japan Studio in Harajuku – with many of our Hasselblad team assisting in the eleven shoots that make up the book.”

One of the girls, Hitomi Onishi, who lost a leg fifteen years ago as a result of a medical procedure, is now Japan’s fastest 100 and 200 metre sprinter in the T42 paralympic committee category and has set her sights on competing at Rio next year.